I've always wanted a Cleaner Wrasse.

[ewurm]

I saw a perfect Cleaner Wrasse at the lfs last night. I told the counter guy I always wanted a cleaner wrasse. He said I should stay away from Taco Bell then. Hmmm...

Anyway, I bought this guy for $25 and I am rediculously happy. The coloration is great, it's eating bloodwurms, and very active. I know, the pics suck, but that thing moves too fast, and I've had a couple, and I'm using a camera phone, and my landlord was cooking something in the next apartment that smelled like dogfood, which distracted me. Anyway, here you go.

 

[Max]

Hey, man best of luck with the wrasse I hope it does well for you . However, I must say that they have pretty low reproductive rates for marine fish and will clean literally 1000's of other fish at their cleaning stations. They are totally with out fear which makes them a very easy catch. They also have a very poor long term survival rate in tanks being very specialized feeders.
Please, try to give it as varied a diet as possible. Try, stuff like brine naupali, mysis, form 1, cyclopeese or even better make up your own foods. I really do wish you the very best and hope that it does well for you. In my humble opinion they are much better off being left on the reef.
Warmest regards
Max

 

[ewurm]

I might have gotten poor info, check this link.

http://www.netpets.org/fish/reference/saltref/wrasse.html

I will make sure to feed it a variety of foods, thanks for the tip.

 

[schulace123]

you should hook him up with some mysis shrimp

 

[Unknown-Soldier]

those are very active fish i saw one at a local fish shop and it was with a sark and that thing just kept moving back and forth on the tank and it was a preety big wrasse

 

[ewurm]

I noticed this morning that he dug out a cave under some base rock, and slept there. When I turned the light on, he came out after a few minutes. It appears that they secrete one of those mucosal slime bubbles to hide their scent at night.

 

[andywg]

I hope the wrasse works out ok for you, but they are not an aquarium fish. Bob Fenner has a really good article on why they should be left in the sea over at WetWebMedia.

The most common parasite in the home tank is Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans) which is believe to account for a minute part of the diet of a cleaner wrasse in the wild (I have read estimtates lower than 18%). Another problem is that in a healthy tank the cleaner will begin harassing tank mates trying to clean those that do not need cleaning.

 

[kev82]

I agree with most of the other comments about this not being an aquarium fish. And add to that I don't think bloodworms are a very good food for them... Read somewhere that bloodworms shouldn't be used for any sw fish for that matter, something about there being some stuff in them that doesn't work too good for sw.

Sorry to be so vague, thought i'd just shoot this out here

 

[Max]

The issue is that the fats like hufa "highly unsaturated fatty acids", are often times missing or too low in content in f.w. fish. They also don't have the right balance of trace elements etc. As a treat most any f.w. based food will work just fine. The issues start when you use them as a staple or a regular element of your marine fish's diets.
Cheers
Max

 

[ewurm]

Omega one marine flakes and Ocean Nutrition are my principle diet, I will also be feeding on occasion krill, brine shrimp, glassworms, bloodworms, mysis, plankton, etc. I have also read that they are better left on the reef, but I enjoy a challenge. Hopefully my cghallenge will not result in the death of a fish.